As if Johnny Depp isn’t busy enough, coming off his double Golden Globe nominations (for Alice in Wonderland and The Tourist), talking about a fifth Pirates installment, taking Robert Downey Jr.‘s place as Oz in a Wizard of Oz prequel, and promoting his new animated film, Rango, the versatile actor has been enthusiastically talking to the press about his involvement as Tonto in The Lone Ranger. Hit the jump for all the details!
According to Entertainment Weekly, Depp says, “I think it’s going to be good, when we have a chance to put it up on its feet… What we’ve got so far screenplay-wise is really great, really funny.” Also on board is producer Jerry Bruckheimer and original Pirates director Gore Verbinski.
For those of you who don’t know, Tonto is a fictional Native American character who appeared in the Western series on the radio in 1933 and television in the 1950s. Since Depp is part Cherokee, he explains to the magazine a special connection to this role, “I always felt Native Americans were badly portrayed in Hollywood films over the decades… It’s a real opportunity for me to give a salute to them. Tonto was a sidekick in all The Lone Ranger series. [This film] is a very different approach to that partnership. And a funny one I think.”
Real Bollywood adds, “Tonto is an important character of the series as he is always present beside the Texas Ranger and is like his best friend.” Also, Depp plans to make Tonto’s identity larger in this film, “giving him an independent image.”
There is no information available at this time when filming is set to shoot, but IMDB offers up a tentative 2012 release. Also, there are no details surrounding who may play opposite Depp as The Lone Ranger. With Depp’s upcoming busy schedule, and rumors of a connection to Oz: The Great & Powerful with Disney and director Sam Raimi, it may be a long time still before we get to see Depp riding into the sunset, crying out, “Hi-Ho, Silver awaaay!”
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